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Dignity 2012 cleared the biggest hurdle in the process at the end of 2011, gathering 84,713 signatures, of which 79,626 were qualified and certified. All initiatives in the Commonwealth originate in the Massachusetts House of Representatives for their journey through the State House. The initiative was introduced as H.3884 and assigned to the Joint Committee on the Judiciary. Over the next few months, legislators will discuss the initiative and consider one of the following steps: The General Court can pass the initiative as it's written. (This rarely happens.) The Judiciary Committee can make a formal recommendation of Support, Do Not Support, or Neutral. The Legislature can put its own version of the initiative on the ballot. (Again, this is rare.) If the legislature doesn't pass the initiative as it's written, the next step for Dignity 2012 will be another phase of signature gathering in the beginning of May. This next signature gathering phase would be smaller than the one which took place in the fall; the campaign would need to collect 11,485 qualified voter signatures between the beginning of May and July 3rd to be considered for the November ballot. Voters who signed the petition during the first signature gathering phase cannot sign the second petition.

The subject of the child obesity epidemic has been high in the last 4 years. Did the government have to right to force what is or isnt allowed to be served, sold, and purchased on school campuses? This artical has it all explained pretty well.

New York City Mayor is trying to ban sugar drinks that are larger than 16 ounces because it is one of the main causes of obesity. People argue that although they agree with the fact that soft drinks are indeed unhealthy, the government should protect the freedom of the people.

taking away the drinks are going too far but the idea is right, obesity is a huge problem in the US and although it is an argument of freedom to eat, drink etc whatever you may please but when it comes to health that is a whole differnt concern.

(Original) "The religious persecution that drove settlers from Europe to the British North American colonies sprang from the conviction, held by Protestants and Catholics alike, that uniformity of religion must exist in any given society. This conviction rested on the belief that there was one true religion and that it was the duty of the civil authorities to impose it, forcibly if necessary, in the interest of saving the souls of all citizens" (Paraphrased) Fleeing the oppression of a state sponsored religion, both Protestant and Catholic, those souls who risked everything to cross the Atlantic came to the American Colonies with the express purpose to be able to practice their religious beliefs as they saw fit without the forced philosophies of a government sponsored religion being forced upon them.

This article talks about the right to bear arms. It talks about a court case involved with this amendment and the outcome of the trial.

This site explores constitutional conflicts to the right to bear arms. The right to keep and bear arms not only predates the writing of the Second Amendment, it also predates the discovery of firearms, because the right to defend one's right to Life, Liberty, and Property came with the Creation of Man.

This article goes into the two major interpretations that go along with the right to bear arms. Goes into further detail of the second amendment and also provides some court cases that are about this amendment

Individuals are finding another way to educate their children. As each state has an education law that requires children to but in school. With home education children have the ability to learn and embrace their interests.

In this article, the author talks about the public schooling system as a forced act on our society that actually makes the future of education worse for us. Instead of letting our children think for themselves, learn the trades they wish to learn, and force them to attend for a certain amount of time, we are taking away their personal freedoms of education. Many people are pushed to thinking that a set school rubric will help every child to get the education they need for their future, but according to the views of the author, they don't. The author's view is that society should be looking more into home schooling and trade schooling to help the United States grow to be more productive for the future. Every generation, school is seen more as a prison; molding our future to think as the way the government wants them to think. But if we were to give freedom to complete schooling outside of force, children will regain their excitement for learning and pursue to better our nation on their own free will.

An interesting article on the state of our education system and how the direction we have gone with it seems to be lacking. Lending itself to breaking the ideas that people have about how a child "must" learn, the article offers up that those ideas are not often the case.

Only one state, Oregon, has legalized assisted suicide. The Oregon statute, which went into effect in October 1997, provides that a doctor may prescribe, but not administer, a lethal dose of medication to a patient who has less than six months to live. Two doctors must agree that the patient is mentally competent and that the decision was voluntary. As of April 1999, 23 patients were given drugs under the statute, and 15 of them used the drugs to commit suicide. A report released by the Oregon state Health Division reviewing the first year of the law's implementation found that the law was working well and had not been subject to abuse.

How the European Union (EU) decides to move forward with their online privacy laws in regard to personal information, will greatly impact how the U.S. proceeds with theirs. The "economic partnership" between the two nations are so heavily intertwined, that legislations across seas will impact U.S. companies. The EU has implemented legislations protecting the rights of online customers. Meanwhile, in the U.S., companies have been reluctant to work with the government in providing U.S. online customers the same protection, because the majority of their profits stem from online advertising. These advertisements work so well because companies have been able to track consumer activities and in turn cater to them according to their habits. Implement government regulations that prevent big companies from doing that and their profits will plummet.

APA Lite for College Papers is a concise guide to crafting research papers in the style of the American Psychological Association (APA). It is based on the current edition of the APA Publication Manual (corrected printing, 2009) while incorporating guidelines for "Material Other Than Journal Articles" found in the last edition. APA Lite succeeds the APA Crib Sheet developed by Professor Dewey in the 1990s and revised by the Abel Scribe collaboration in the current century. Doc Scribe is not affiliated in any way with the American Psychological Association--this style guide is free! © Copyright 2000-2010 by Dr. Abel Scribe, PhD

The article describes how we are will to show our lives on social media for anyone to see not realizing how much is not private. Then talks about how upset we get when the Government is looking at us.

wow this article really opened my eyes to how much I use and rely on social media without considering the all risk.

It is amazing how much information people put out there. At work, we have to take compliance courses every year. Just last year, they added a couple of modules on social media, and what is expected of you in relation to the information about work that you put out there.

The U.S. Court of Appeals upheld a fifth graders right to distribute invitations to her church's Christmas party. The school had banned the student from distributing the invitations citing the invitations contained religious materials. The court's decision was based on the First Amendment's right to free speech.

I agree that student's should be able to learn of and encourage the religious beliefs of their classmates. How do we expect to raise well rounded individuals if we raise them to treat religion with such a hush hush attitude?

Being in a public school system, no religion should be enforced at all. These were Christmas invitations, inviting the students to a church event imposing the Christian belief system. This could have been done outside of school or elsewhere. This situation would only be okay if it was conducted in a private religious school, where public money does not fund the institution.

This article is based on school choice. To choose a school for your child based on your living location. How empowering the parent to choice would be more beneficial.

It is very important in the present day for children to get a good education and the child should not have to suffer a poor education because of where they live. If the parents can not afford to live in a neighborhood with the top performance schools they should still be able to send their child to a good school and even if it means the child has to take the bus or car pool.

Although many people live in districts that have the funding for an excellent staff that is required to create a good learning environment, there are some parents that do not have that luxury. Being at a good school is what ultimately gets students out of the 'poverty cycle' or not. If a student does live in a bad neighborhood and has the possibility of attending a better neighborhood even if it is a bus ride or drive away it should be up to them ultimately if they want to make that change and commute for the better learning environment.

Polygamy is a battle of both religion and rights for both types of people who are for or against polygamy. The author states the history behind the laws against polygamy as well as the battle between Reynolds and the US for it to be allowed due to the religious beliefs of Mormons. Reynolds was convicted and charged for polygamy, which in turn, ended it everywhere in the US; especially in Utah. Several times, the Reynolds Law has been challenged, but those who have challenged the law have failed.

The article in the New York Times is about the censorship and the power the government has over what the people can type and say over any device. People can't even search the english word freedom in China on google. Since the events in Northern Africa and the Middle East it has tightened its filters and bans even more.

This NY Times article looks into the murder of Robert Krentz, the Arizona farmer, who was shot to death in Cochise County. Clues led to the possibility that it may have been an illegal alien who shot and killed Mr. Krentz. This event occurred during the heated debate as to whether Arizona's new immigration law, requiring documentation of legal status in the United States, should go into effect.

Abortion has two very strong sides, pro life and pro choice Pro life individuals believe that the fetus has the right to live , as the mother has a right to live. Pro choice argues that the mother has the decision whether to terminate per pregnancy within the first 3 months.

This article is about the different views that people have on abortions. It gives the pros and cons of the situation. Also mentions that we as humans are responsible for are actions and we know the consequences that are actions can bring. Also how we should take the time to educated people on the the responsibilities that life has and how to care for a child. Its more than what we think but the right of all humans should be taking in concentration,

This site has a list of positions on a very emotional topic, abortion.

as part of our personal freedoms women should be allowed to have an abortion, or as many as they want.Many American believe abortion freedom is as important as the right to free speech, and the right to vote.

This topic is a difficult one to discuss. I feel as if birth and pregnancy is a miracle and its such a beautiful thing. Women able to be pregnant should be proud and feel blessed as some women aren't as grateful. I feel as if their is no excuse to take an infants life for the mothers fault. The only time i feel that there should be a debate about it is if the woman was raped.

The right for a women to get an abortion or even several abortions is ultimately one of her personal freedoms. There are many different scenarios that happen that lead to an abortion and who are we to questions anyone about to get one? Its a woman's private decision and freedom and should be left that way.

This article outlines the emergence of Allopathic Medicine (Modern Day Medicine) in the Western World. It shows a timeline that outlines the progress medicine has made throughout the history of man. I briefly discusses how the model of Allopathic Medicine got it foothold and took control of the medical model in the West.

An explanation of what freedom of religion means. It also provides some history about religion.

Alatavista (Original) The Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948, defines freedom of religion and belief as follows: Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes the freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance. (Article 18) (Paraphrased) In 1948 the United Nations General Assembly clearly stated in Article 108 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: that every person has the right to their freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This extends to a community as well as the individual and encompasses practice, teaching, worship, and observance.

The article discusses the decision to limit the sale of the Morning-After-Pill to women that are 17 years old and older. The decision is based on the uncertainty of the reaction to the medication in younger girls that are 10 or  11 years of age

The article states facts about violence and death in in the US and the percentage of gun issues but what about the other percentages that are not? Will stricter laws help the gun violence go down or will it go up because more people will want to buy guns due to the simple fact that they will be illegal

The article has facts and statistics about violence in relation to the percentage of gun issues. Can stricter laws help the gun violence go down or will it make the American public feel the need to have a firearm at all times.